Stabilizer for house trailers



S@Pt- 18, 1951 A. H. STADE 2,568,261

STABILIZER FOR HOUSE TRAILERS Albert H. Stade INVENTOR.

Sept. 18, 1951 A. H. STADE 2,568,261

STABILIZER FOR HOUSE TRAILERS Filed Dec. 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet -2 Alberi H. Slade IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 18, 1951 v `A, H, STADE 2,568,261

STABILIZER FOR HOUSE TRAILERS Filed Deo. 6, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Albert H. Stade INVENToR.

Y WWW Patented Sept. 18, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE '2,568,261 I S'IABILIZER -F OR HOUSE TRAILERS Albert- H. Stade, Los AngelesCalif.

Application December 6, 1949, VSerial No. 131,261

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an equalizing. or stabilizing device for securing a trailer to.- a tractor vehicle.

An object of this invention is to provide means which will dampen and minimize .allhoriz'ontal andl vertical oscillating ofthevtrailer rel'ativeto the tractor vehicle.

Av further object of the invention isl to .provide means for securing atrailer to a tractor vehicle t'oimpart. easy riding qualities to the trailer vehicle `while maintaining an entirely safe and secure connection between the tractor vehicle and thetrailer.

Another objectof the invention is to provide ready and easy means to couple and uncou'ple a-trailer to altractor vehicle.

. A further object ofthe inventionisto provide a draft'tongue fora trailervehicle having means thereon for Vsupporting. thetrailer and forproviding a bumper when the trailer' is' unhitched from the tractor vehicle.

Still further objects of the inventionreside 'in the provisions of a stabiliber for a trailer that isA strong, durable, highly efcient inv operation, relatively simple in construction, and manufacture, comparatively inexpensive, and quite easy to operate.

These, together with the various ancillary objects of the invention which Vwill become apparenty as the following description'l proceeds; are4 attained by this stabilizer forhou'setrailers, a preferred embodiment of whichhas been illus-'- trated in the accompanying drawings, by wayof example only, wherein:

f Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of the-stabilizer g comprising the-present invention:

Figure 2 is aside elevational-view of the inven tion;

Figure 3 is a perspective View. ofthe stabilizer for-house trailers showing it in a different position from that shown in Figures 1 andi 2;

Figurei is a horizontalsectional viewas taken along line 4--4 in Figure 3;

Figure 5 is 'a vertical sectional'view astaken along'line 5--5 in` Figure 2;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view of the invention showing the parts` thereof in detail;

Figure l is an exploded view of the housing and shaft comprising 7several elements ofthe present invention; and,

Figures-8 through 10 inclusive are perspective exploded views of several elements which are adaptedA to be secured together to form the stabilizer.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views,'reference numeral I0 is used to generally designate a house trailer or like vehicle which'is adapted to-be towed behind a tractor vehicle I2 having a draw bar I4 to which the draft tongue generally designated by reference numeral l6-is adapted to `be secured.

A semi-circular channel-shaped member I8' is secured to the trailer Ill'and is'engagedby a leaf spring member Zll'having a retainer lug 22 bolted thereto to embrace the outermost leg of the channel member I8. Guide membery 24 isalso provided. for-sliding engagement with the channel member I8. As seen best in Figure-G-the other endxof the leafV spring 2Q is bolted or otherwise 'secured-within' an rupper channelmer'nber 26 forming one; part of the draft' tongue I6'. vThe upper channel member 26 is' provided with-'a front end eye 28 through which ah'eaded -bolt 30 extends `in engagement with lugs Y:i2-having aper tures therethrough. The lugs 32 are .formed integrallwith a lower channel member. 34 forming the otherpartof the draftLtongue. The channelmembers 26 and 34Y are each provided with aligned apertures 26.', 34' and a slide 35 having an aperture 38'theethrough is adapted to be positionedin alignment with the apertures 26', 34* in said channel membersso that pin Mlmay be secured through all the aligned apertures toA hold 'said channel members 26, 34v in a rigid manner. At the front end of' the channel element 34is pivotally secured a conventionalcou pling element 42. Secured to the bottom portion of the rear lend of the channel member 26 is anotherV member 44 formed with an eye 45 containing a bearing 46. A pin 48 pivotally secures the eye 45between flanges 52 of a bearing element Ellso that the draft tongue I6 is vertically swingable* on the bearing element 56;

The bearing element is rotatably secured between collars 54 and 56 which. are'. rigidly secured to a vertical shaft 58 which is threaded at rits" bottom portion 66, and is provided at its upperportion with a reduced neck -62 on which a worm gear 64 is adapted'to be 'pinned or else-r where secured. The shaft 58 is rotatable in a casing 66 which is bolted or otherwises'ecured to the trailer lu` and-'1s provided with about-(importio'n 68" against which the Collarl 54 ts. A journal bearing'element 'lll is positioned about' the shaft 58 within the vcasingv Etand pins 12 are used to rigidly secure the bearing 16"'in the casing Y'so as to rotatablir confine the Ycollar -54' between said bottompcrtion sa-'andsaid'ement 10. A worm 14 having a handle 16 thereon is journalled in the housing through aligned apertures 18, one of which is shown in Figure '7, said worm meshing with the worm gear 64. Upon rotation of the worm 14 the worm gear 64 will cause the threaded portion 60 to rotate to thus raise or lower a threaded collar 18 on said portion 60 and which is secured by set screws 88 in a collar 82 to which is welded or otherwise secured the upper end of a vertical tubular shaft 84 coaxial with the shaft and slidable on said portion 60. The collar 82 actually provides a clamping means for securing the tubular shaft 84 to the threaded collar 18. A retainer collar 86 is vertically slidable on the lower end of the tubular shaft 84 and a plug member 88 is provided at the lowerl end of the tubular shaft 84 to limit the downward displacement of the retainer collar 88. The plug 88 is threaded or otherwise secured to the shaft 84. Coil spring 90 is provided on the tubular shaft 84 between the collars 82 and. 86 to cushion upward sliding of the retainer collar 86. A pair of vertically swingable links 98 incline downwardly and forwardly from opposite sides of the collar 82 with rear ends pivoted on a pair of diametrically opposite nut-equipped shafts 92 on said collar 82. A pair of vertically swingable links 98 on opposite sides of the collar 86 incline downwardly and rearwardly from the pair of links 96 with front ends pivoted, as at 9B', between the front ends of the links 96. The links 98 are pivoted intermediate their ends on a pair of diametrically opposite nut-equipped shafts 94 on said collar 86 and carry between their rear ends in the rear of the hollow shaft 84 a trailer supporting front ground wheel |80. As will be clear, the collars 18, 82, 86 and tubular shaft 84, together with the links 96, 98 form a caster wheel mounting rotatable about the axis of the shaft 58 and arranged for vertical screw feed adjustment by rotation of the shaft 58 to adjust the front end of the trailer l vertically The links 96, 88 and collar 86 form a wheel yoke cushioned by the spring 60 for yielding vertical play and spring suspension of the trailer IIJ b spring suspension of the links 98.

As can be seen best in Figure 3 when it is desired to disengage the trailer from the tractor, the draw bar I 4 may be uncoupled from the draft tongue I6 by releasing of the coupling element 42 in the conventional manner. Then the member 34 may be rotated to a position so as to provide a combined ground engaging support and bumper for the house trailer.

Since the distance below the house trailer at which thewheel |80 is attached can be easily regulated by the vertical position of the threaded portion 60 of the shaft in the threaded collar 18, the rotation of the worm gear 64 provides easy means for raising and lowering the trailer so as to provide for coupling and uncoupling the draft tongue I6 and maintaining said draft tongue IB level; Y As will be seen the draft tongue I6 can swing vertically on the pin 48 to compensate for relative vertical play of the trailer l0 and draft tongue I6 and the leaf spring 28 cushions such play between said trailer and tongue.

Since from the foregoing, the construction and advantages of this stabilizer for a house trailer are readily apparent, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

Y However, since numerous modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art and after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to invention, what is ,pled to a tractor, means pivotally connecting said tongue to said shaft for swinging laterally and vertically relative thereto, a semi-circular member fixed to said trailer horizontally above said tongue concentric to said shaft, and a leaf spring slidably connected at one end to said member and fixed at its other end to said tongue for swinging along said member by lateral swinging of said tongue and flexing by relative vertical movement of said trailer and tongue.

2. In a stabilizer for a trailer having a depending shaft and a draft tongue for coupling to and uncoupling from a tractor, means pivotally connecting said tongue to said shaft for lateral and vertical swinging relative thereto, a semi-circular member xed to said trailer horizontally above said tongue and concentric to said shaft, and a leaf spring slidably connected at one end to said member and fixed at its other end to said tongue for swinging along said tongue by lateral swinging of said tongue and flexing by vertical swinging of said tongue, said tongue comprising hingedly connected sections one swingable independently downwardly on the other into ground engaging trailer supporting position and being swingable upwardly into draft position, and a coupling on said independently swingable section for attachment to the trailer disposed forwardly of said hinged connection when said independently swingable section is swung upwardly into draft position.

3. A stabilizer according to claim 2, wherein said sections comprise channel bars, one fitting in the other when said independently swingable section is swung upwardly.

4. A stabilizer according to -claim 1, wherein said shaft is rotatably mounted to the trailer, a ground wheel, and screw feed spring suspension means for mounting said wheel on said shaft for vertical adjustment of the trailer relative to said tongue to maintain said tongue horizontal when coupled and providing for vertical play of said trailer relative to 'said wheel. y

5. In a stabilizer for a trailer having a depending shaft and a draft tongue having a pivoted connection to said shaft whereby said tongue and trailer are vertically swingable relatively, means for raising and vlowering said trailer to maintain said tongue level comprising a journal bearing rotatably connecting said shaft to said trailer, a ground wheel, a screw portion on said shaft; a collar threaded onto said portion for vertical screw feed thereon and rotation independently thereof, a pair of opposite links inclining downwardly from opposite sides of said collar at one 1 side of said shaft and pivoted at corresponding ends thereof to said collar for vertical swinging movement, a second pair of opposite links pivoted at corresponding ends thereof to the other ends of the first-named links and inclining downwardly therefrom across said shaft, a ground wheel mounted between the other ends of the second links, a spring suspension for said second links connecting the same to said collar, and means to rotate said shaft.

6. A stabilizer for a trailer according to claim 5,

wherein said spring suspension comprises a second collar intermediate the second pair of links pivoted thereto and vertically movable and rotatable about said shaft, and a coil spring surrounding said shaft between said collars.

'7. In a trailer, a shaft depending from one end thereof and having a screw portion thereon, a journal bearing rotatably connecting said shaft at its upper end to said trailer, a collar threaded onto said portion for screw feed thereby and rotation independently thereof, a pair of opposite links inclining downwardly from opposite sides of the collar at one side of said shaft and pivoted at corresponding ends thereof to said collar for vertical swinging movement, a second pair o f opposite links pivoted at corresponding ends thereof to the other ends of the first-named links and inclining downwardly therefrom across said shaft, a ground wheel mounted between the other ends of the second links, a spring suspension -f for said second links connecting the same to said collar, and means to rotate said shaft.

8. The combination according to claim 7, wherein said spring suspension comprises a second collar pivoted intermediate the second pair of links thereto, and a coil spring interposed between said collars.

9. The combination according to claim '7, wherein said spring suspension comprises a tubular shaft depending from said collar and endwise slidable and rotatable on said screw portion, a second collar vertically slidable and rotatable on said tubular shaft and pivoted to the secondnamed links between the same, and a coil spring surrounding the tubular shaft between said collars.

ALBERT H. STADE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 324,827 Fuller Aug. 25, 1885 745,803 Edeline Dec. l, 1903 2,134,351 Arehart Oct. 25, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 351,683 France May 11, 1905 411,787 France June 25, 1910 

